"The reason I'm telling you all this is just to make one thing clear," Hara Kei said, drawing his gaze away from the distant image of 'him' he had been lost in. "Don't think of me as some detached, desireless saint. On the contrary, I'm far more ambitious than you think."
"You want to find your 'true self'?" Yukinoshita Yukino tentatively asked, recalling his earlier words.
For some reason, Kei found the words coming from her mouth unexpectedly amusing. A chuckle escaped him.
"Sorry, sorry. My sense of humor is weird. I don't know why, but whenever I hear someone say 'true self,' I can't help laughing." In truth, he knew exactly why—but that was a secret he could never tell Yukino.
Seeing the slightly disapproving look Yukino gave him, Kei raised a hand in mock surrender. "No, no, no. I'm not searching for a 'true self.' That's not something you find—it's something you decide on."
"I simply decided what my 'true self' is, and I've resolved to become that person."
"And… what is your chosen 'true self'?" Yukino asked, curiosity outweighing her lingering annoyance at his inexplicable laughter.
Kei didn't answer directly. Instead, he launched into a prepared speech, delivered with a fluency that suggested he genuinely enjoyed these words:
"Every man, even if only once in his life, dreams of becoming the strongest in the world. But somewhere along the way, people abandon this dream. Was it when they fought a brother and were knocked down by an older sibling? Or when trying to be the leader among children? Or the first time they felt the sting of a father's fist? Eventually, for countless reasons, 99.9999% of people give up on this dream and start dreaming of becoming doctors, lawyers, scientists, politicians, writers… Yet, there remains that tiny 0.0001%—no matter what they experience or whom they meet, they never abandon that first dream!"
"This…?" Yukino frowned, unfamiliar with this quote. Understandably so—she wasn't someone who read battle manga.
"It's from a nearly demented old manga artist who wrote it in a fighting manga," Kei explained, his interpretation calm and precise. "It expresses a man's longing for the title of 'strongest.' That's my ambition and my dream."
"I will become the strongest!" His voice brimmed with absolute confidence. "Not just in one field, but in any field I love—without equal!"
He winked at Yukino, a playful note in his tone. "This time I'll let it slide. Next time you ask for my help, think along these lines. And don't come back all battered, okay?"
The next day.
Inside the Lamb Society's clubroom.
It wasn't crowded by any means—but there were certainly more people than usual.
Besides Kei, Fujiwara Chika, and Yukino, the three regular members, there was the advisor Hirasawa Shizuka, guest member Touma Yoko, and the client, Mio-sensei.
Kei sat in his usual spot, a stack of documents in front of him. Frowning slightly, he carefully examined the plan drafted collaboratively by the three girls. His knuckles tapped rhythmically against the desk, showing how deeply he was contemplating every detail.
Behind him, Mio-sensei had finished reviewing the plan. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Hirasawa quietly tugged her sleeve, gently shaking her head.
Finally, Kei stopped tapping. He had read everything.
"Mio-sensei, may I ask you a possibly bold question?" Kei turned toward Mio. She stiffened in surprise but nodded, ready to answer honestly.
"How many of the members in the String Club, Wind Club, and Choir genuinely love music? More than fifty percent? This is crucial for the plan's success—I need a clear answer."
"I can assure you," Mio replied firmly, her tone resolute. "Not just fifty percent, but at least seventy percent. Training is grueling, and they must carry their instruments around for performances. If they didn't love music, how could these young ladies and gentlemen put so much effort into it?"
"I see," Kei nodded, then turned to the three girls who were fidgeting anxiously. He gave them an approving nod.
"This plan is very well-prepared. If what Mio-sensei says is true, I believe it has a very high chance of success."
The naturally exuberant Fujiwara Chika couldn't contain herself—she jumped up excitedly. Even the more composed Yukino and Touma Yoko allowed themselves a small, relieved smile.
"But the chosen piece must be changed," Kei suddenly added. "It must include strings, winds, and choir, yes, but its popularity has to be extremely high. It needs to be so well-known that even people who don't understand music recognize it. Club members should be able to perform it without rehearsal. Only one piece in the entire musical world meets this criterion."
Touma, the most knowledgeable in music, clearly understood which piece Kei meant, but she shook her head. "Its best opening instrument is the double bass. None of us in the Lamb Society can play that, so we'd have to give up."
"Not being able to play it now doesn't mean I can't learn," Kei insisted. "The success of this plan depends on the right choice of music. I won't let the whole plan fail over this."
"…Are you sure?" Touma asked, incredulous. "It's not like learning the triangle or a recorder. To become proficient on the double bass for this piece would take years."
"Not a year," Kei shook his head lightly. He took a pen and crossed out the original title on the plan. "With me, it'll take less than half a month."
A new piece was written on the plan: de an die Freude.
Translated: Ode to Joy.